Leinster's Ryan Baird has claimed that the objective of achieving a European and domestic double is still something the team is eyeing.
Leinster is into their third successful Champions Cup final after beating Northampton Saints in Croke Park, and they also lie second in the United Rugby Championship table, which means they will be one of the top seeds for the URC playoffs this year if they stay in the top 8.
After having two trophy-less seasons in a row, thanks to the likes of La Rochelle and Munster last year, the goal for Baird and the team is to now end that trophy drought.
"Coming away trophy-less for the last two years is "no bueno," as they say in Spanish," Baird said.
"Who doesn't want to achieve the double? That's our objective.
"We're in a League and a Cup and want to win both. Losing the final of the Champions Cup and the semi-final of the URC both hurt as much because you put as much time into both.
"One's perceived to be bigger but the work that goes into both is equal. Therefore, you want the same output—a trophy."
Ryan Baird of Leinster Rugby (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)Baird, who played in the nervy 20-17 win over Northampton Saints in Croke Park last weekend, admitted that the idea of them losing another game after starting so well was not something that he was going to allow to happen again. He is now glad to be on the other side of another team's fightback.
They will now play Tolouse later this month.
"It’s natural to feel the nerves," Baird said, reliving the moment when the Saints made it a three-point game with six minutes remaining.
"To be in that position when we've been on the other side, I was like, ‘I'm not letting this f****g happen again; we're not letting this f***g happen again. Go attack this game; attack it now, these last few minutes.'
"We wanted to attack it, finish it, and get into the final.
"You learn your lessons. As Jacques (Nienaber) says, You pay your school fees, and now it's time to push forward and get what we want, which is a fifth star."
Leinster plays Ospreys at 7:35 pm tomorrow night.
